We Review: A 24HR Serum That Revives and a Curl Range That Delivers Bouncy Definition
Francesca is the Beauty Editor at Adore Beauty. With a background in glossy mags and bylines in publications like Marie Claire, ELLE and BODY+SOUL, Francesca has turned her love of beauty into a career. Whether she's decoding buzzy ingredients or road testing lip glosses (so. many. glosses.), her approach to beauty is equal parts glamour and highly-considered.
In Partnership With Redken
A cult favourite among stylists, celebs, hello Sabrina Carpenter's silky blowout, and beauty devotees alike, Redken's Acidic Bonding Concentrate, or ABC, range continues to deliver salon-quality smoothness and resilience.
So what is in this potent elixir that makes it so beloved?
The range relies on Redken's signature Bonding Care Complex with citric acid to strengthen weakened hair bonds from within, helping repair strands at the core rather than simply smoothing over damage.
Think of it as the ceramides of haircare. Designed for all hair types, it's damage-free, but it does its best work on damaged, colour-treated, or over-processed hair, leaving locks glossier, silkier, and infinitely easier to manage.
If the words acidic bonding concentrate do not already have you reaching for your credit card, allow us to introduce Redken's latest launches: the 24/7 Night & Day Serum and an ABC range for curls, both of which bring plenty of excitement to an already beloved line.
Read on for a thorough review of the new 24/7 Night & Day Serum - it works around the clock (literally) to revive damaged strands, smooth and nourish.
Plus our resident Type 3C to 4A curls, gal and my AB colleague Mel road-tests the new Redken ABC shampoo & conditioner duo against her locks for defined texture and boosted natural curl pattern.
Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate 24/7 Night & Day Serum Review:
After an impulse box-dye job (a classic case of black hair dysmorphia, iykyk), my strands were feeling parched, brittle and looking wire-y. It was the worst condition my hair had been in years. A wave of regret had sunk in.
In a rather fortuitous happenstance for me, Redken’s new Acidic Bonding Concentrate 24/7 Night & Day Serum rolled across my desk for trialling. And in my time of need, she proved to be a lifesaver!
First thoughts are; I really enjoy the texture of this one. It’s a silky, slighty gloopy gel that truly mimics face serum consistency and is feather-light compared to traditional leave in formulas.
It absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave behind any residue, greasiness or stickiness. The only caveat here - it is easy to overapply (particularly if you’re like me, and tend to adopt a more is more approach).
The brand recommends a quarter-sized amount per application - which is approximately the size of a $1 coin for us Aussies!
Applied to dry strands, it felt like a light silky coating and blow-dried through damp hair, it was virtually undetectable.
How to Use Acidic Bonding Concentrate 24-7 Night and Day Serum.
1. Wash hair with Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo & Conditioner or 5-Min Mask for a deep condition.
2. Apply a quarter-sized amount of ABC 24/7 Night & Day Serum to clean, dry or damp hair. Apply more as needed & desired. Do not rinse.
- Night Use: Apply generously mid-lengths to ends for overnight bond repair & hydration.
- Day Use: Apply as needed for instant frizz reduction, conditioning & shine.
Benefits of Acidic Bonding Concentrate 24-7 Night and Day Serum.
Speaking of blow-drying - the formula includes built-in heat protectant and acts as a great primer for heat-styling.
The lightweight nature makes it flexible and malleable, while the added Squalene in the formula tames unruly frizz.
The key ingredient here, of course, is citric acid ( part of Redken’s Bonding Care Complex) which penetrates 7 layers deep to reinforce weakened hair bonds and strengthen from the inside out. It’s the kind of advanced technology that usually lives in professional salons, but can now live in your bathroom cabinet.
Redken testing reports 9x stronger hair, 3x more hydration, and 89% users experiencing less breakage. Promising stuff. It contains everything you need to reverse signs of heat, bleach, and environmental stress. An irl re-do button.
The serum formula is further bolstered with Polyglutamic Acid for sealing in moisture and long-lasting protection.
Final Verdict...
After a few days of incorporating it into my morning and night-time routine, my strands have 180-ed, hard. You can see from my not-so handy before and after pics (taken 7 days apart) the improvement to texture (it’s less wire-y) and overall smoothness.
My hair has always veered on the frizzy side, so the boosted frozz control has been a gamechanger and allowed me to extend time between styling. As for the split ends I was fully expecting to crop up post-dye job? They haven’t made an appearance.
My hair feels smoother, softer and health-ier than a week ago. It’s almost back to pre box-dye condition and for that I say - thank you Redken!
Redken Acidic Bonding Curls Range Review:
What:
I have curly hair that ranges from 3C to 4A (IYKYK). My hair and scalp lean dry, and I’ve grown out most of my coloured hair—so they need all the hydration they can get.
I reach for products that moisturise, hydrate and nourish—because curl care is more than just styling.
If it also helps repair damage? Even better.
That’s where Redken’s new Acidic Bonding Curls range came in—and spoiler alert: I’m impressed.
Right away, the products felt so luxe—like I’d stepped into a salon. The formulas were silky and moisturising even in my hands, which is always a good sign.
Shampoos can sometimes leave my hair feeling stripped, but the Redken Acidic Bonding Curls Shampoo surprised me.
Even without silicones, it left my hair feeling clean and nourished.Then came the Redken Acidic Bonding Curls Conditioner, and I honestly couldn’t believe how easily my curls detangled—without needing a tonne of product (a miracle for my curls).
It softened and hydrated my hair, making the entire wash process smoother and faster.
But the real game-changer? My curls looked glossy and felt deeply hydrated before I’d applied anything else.
Normally, after washing, my curls are crying out for leave-in product—but not this time. To lock in that moisture and style my curls, I used the Redken Acidic Bonding Curls Leave-In Treatment.
It made my hair feel so soft and lightweight while giving my curls beautiful bounce and definition...
It didn’t feel heavy or greasy, and paired with my usual curl gel, the final look was light, bouncy, and super defined.
This routine was such a win. It’s tough finding a shampoo and conditioner I’m truly obsessed with, but I’ve definitely found my new curly hair wash routine!
The Redken shampoo and conditioner gently remove buildup (which I always struggle with thanks to daily styling), leaving my hair feeling instantly fresher, lighter, and stronger.
And the leave-in treatment?
It’s now officially part of my styling routine—it’s the finishing touch that keeps my curls hydrated and looking their best.
Discover more of Redken's game-changing products below:
